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Wednesday, 29 April 2009

In a 1966 interview, John listed his 3 favourite programmes as The Power Game, The Rat Catchers and DangerMan. Here is a slightly enhanced re-post of him watching television in the sunroom circa August 1967, together with screen grabs and opening titles of said programmes. I believe all 3 of these series had finished by then, but knowing British TV, as I do extremely well, they were probably still on every 5 minutes as repeats.

A shot of George just after buying Kinfauns, standing on the spot he had chosen for the obligatory swimming pool. He also had a new window put in on the left, judging by the pool shot. Both George and John initiated a large amount of renovation in their respective properties - in John´s case to the point that he had to live in the attic for the first few months, as Kenwood was being gutted. George also used a drawing by John on the wall beside his pool, which you can just about see in the last pic. Thanks to Sara Schmidt for sending that one.

Tuesday, 28 April 2009

We´ve seen these before, but here they are in slightly better (or at least different) quality. John is noteable by his absence. Was he the photographer? Or off engaged in a more prosaic, possibly odiferous activity? Palpable nonsense.

Various items relating to John´s psychedelic Rolls, often to be seen ferrying himself between Kenwood and central London in 1967. Also here, a short French feature with footage of the car, including the interior. John´s favourite song in the summer of 1967 was A Whiter Shade Of Pale by Procol Harum, and this would be played ad infinitum on the music system in the back.

"Anything could happen" quoth Mr Macca. John returned to Kenwood, and almost immediately invited Yoko round. Two Virgins etc was the result. And that´s a pretty big "etc". As someone sharper eyed than me has pointed out, in the press conference you can see Linda at the end, shortly after slipping Paul her phone number. That led to a pretty big "etc" too.

More West Malling. And more tangential every day. But wait! There is a connection, after all... a story about the bike. Some of the Apple Scruffs were at Kenwood one day. John was absent. They found the bike in his garage, and decided to "borrow" it. Whoever was charged with looking after it in London left it in their communal hall, only to discover the next day that someone had mistaken it for junk and put it out to be collected, which it had been....and that was that. That´s the story, anyway.

Monday, 27 April 2009

Shortly after completing Sgt Pepper, Paul headed off to the USA to meet up with Jane Asher, hang out with the Jefferson Airplane, and generally mindfuck Brian Wilson. Here are some papparazi shots of him upon his return. Shortly thereafter, John drove up from Kenwood for a spot of dog walking in Regent´s Park, whereupon another smudger caught the two of them heading back to Paul´s Aston Martin (thanks Lizzie). The picture was published in the next day´s Manchester Guardian, as was. Paul looks a bit jet-lagged. John looks like he has beamed down from another planet. Much as I hate the paparrazi, this is one of my favourite Beatle pics.

The earlier two were used whilst John lived at Kenwood. He got his first passport in 1960, and used it up until 1967. The fact that he represented himself as a ted to immigration officials the world over during the Beatles´ touring years doubtless afforded him a degree of pleasure. UK passports last for 10 years. It is possible that tache related reasons led to him renewing it early, in 1967. Whatever, tache afficianados, of whom there are at least one, will be pleased to see that John was tached up in 33% of his passport photos. Impressive stats. The final one dates from 1976.

On a (laboured) theme of places John stayed 1964-1968, we come to Almeria, and the apartment called El Delfin Verde (The Green Dolphin) overlooking the beach El Zapillo. It was here that John began composing Strawberry Fields Forever, and these photos (taken in El Delfin Verde) may well show him doing just that. John later moved to a house, known variously as Santa Isabel and la Casa Romero. Formerly a convent, Cynthia believed it to be haunted. The YouTube film here shows recent footage from inside the house, which was derelict for over 30 years. (It is currently being renovated for use as a cultural centre). The film is in Spanish, but you´ll get the gist. Particularly if you speak Spanish.

As mentioned in a previous post, John bought his aunt Mimi a bungalow at 126 Panorama Road, Poole, in Dorset in 1965, and would drive down from Kenwood to visit her fairly regularly. Here is a fascinating and rare interview with Mimi from 1981, conducted in the house itself. Mimi´s house is another long since smashed to bits. The interviewer refers to it as "Studland" at one point. Hmmm. I always thought it was called Sandbanks. Maybe that was just the name of the bay which it overlooked, however.